True Love Can Never Die
by Phoenix710
Summary: When Mordred, an ancient vampire lord, awakens, he resumes his quest for the Darklight Emerald, which will give him ultimate power. The Rovers head in to stop him, but Colleen is captured. Can Hunter and the others save her before it's too late? Rated T.


True Love Can Never Die 

**A Road Rovers Fanfic**

**Story By: Phoenix710**

**Summary:**** When an ancient vampire lord named Mordred is awakened by a team of archaeologists in Transylvania, he slaughters the entire team, except for one, a female researcher named Dr. Catherine Young. He learns that she is an expert on the lore surrounding the Darklight Emerald, which is the mystical artifact that Mordred was in pursuit of when he was sealed away. With the emerald's power, Mordred will be able to move about even in sunlight, and it will also make him all but invincible. He bites Dr. Young, transforming her into a vampire. With her under his control, he locates the Darklight Emerald, and returns to the castle that he inherited from his master, the now-dead vampire lord Vorlock. From there, he unleashes one of his master's spells, and transforms the entire population of a nearby town into zombies. The Road Rovers are informed of this, and they head out to stop him. However, Mordred's army vastly outnumbers them, and they are forced to pull out. While the Rovers are attempting to return to the Stealth Rover, Mordred swoops in, and captures Colleen. Desperate for a way to rescue her, Hunter and the others seek out the help of Confuse-Us, and he teaches Hunter the one and only technique that can destroy Mordred, the Storm Of Passion, which is created out of the pure power of love shared by two that have formed a bond of love that goes all the way to the core of the soul, like Hunter and Colleen have. Confuse-Us teaches Hunter how to reach out to Colleen with his mind, and then he gives him a specially modified Desert Eagle .50AE handgun, for use against Mordred's zombie army, and he hands the other Rovers specially modified assault rifles, the XM-29, which fires 7.62mm rounds, and also has a 20mm grenade launcher. The team then returns to Headquarters, and dons their newly-created Special-Ops armor, which Professor Hubert designed based on the MJOLNIR Mk. 6 armor from Halo 2, complete with shields, etc. Now properly prepared, Hunter and the others head back to confront Mordred and save Colleen. Can Hunter and the rest of the team battle their way through to Mordred's castle in time, or will Mordred turn Colleen into a vampire?**

**Rated: T (Some frightening scenes, the mention of vampires, zombies, and the use of firearms.)**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own the series Road Rovers, or any of the characters associated with it. Road Rovers and all associated characters are trademarks of Warner Bros. Inc. Halo, Halo 2, The Master Chief, and MJOLNIR armor are trademarks of Bungie Game Studios. XBox is a registered TM of Microsoft. However, Samantha, Kasha, Alexander, Cassie, Dr. Catherine Young, the technique Storm Of Passion, the Stealth Rover, and Mordred are products of my imagination. The song "Nothin's Gonna Stand In Our Way", which I will be using in this fic's final battle scene, is property of Spectre General. The 1986 love song "Glory of Love", which will be included in the final scene in Hunter and Colleen's bedroom, after he's done telling her how glad he is to have her back, is property of Peter Cetera. The Desert Eagle .50AE, M-16, Beretta 93-R, Zastava M21 Assault Rifle, and the XM-29 are properties of their respective manufacturers. Balto, and all associated characters are trademarks of Walt Disney, Inc. Barq's Root Beer and Coca Cola are trademarks of the Coca Cola Co. Pepsi is TM of Pepsi-Cola, Inc., and Cape Cod Potato Chips are a TM of the Cape Cod Potato Chip company. Spaghetti-O's brand name is a TM of Chef Boyardee, Inc.**

**Chapter One: A New Day For The Rovers**

Hunter got up bright and early on this particular morning, showered, got dressed, then he headed back over to his bed, and began massaging his lovely wife's shoulders, savoring the satin smoothness of her soft fur, until she slowly started to wake up. Colleen sat up, then rubbed her eyes to get the sleep out of them, before reaching out and pulling Hunter close. Hunter sat down next to her on the bed, and said, "Morning, Colleen. I don't think it'd be possible for me to ever tell you just how much I love you." Colleen kissed Hunter deeply, loving the feeling of his strong, gentle arms draped around her shoulders, as he held her tenderly in his lap. She pulled away from him, and said, "Huntie, I love you too, and there's nothing that can ever make me stop loving you." Hunter smiled, then kissed Colleen again. Minutes later, Cassie and Alexander walked in, as they were now able to walk on their own. Cassie was looking and acting more and more like her mother every day. She was even starting to try and imitate her mother's martial arts routines, which both Hunter and Colleen found to be absolutely adorable. Alexander was taking after Hunter, trying to help with mechanical work on the vehicles, even if it was just handing small tools like wrenches or hand-held diagnostic sensor equipment to Exile or Hunter, and the boy had also begun to learn how to use his speed, which he and his sister had both inherited from their father. They also had their mother's agility, and when they got a bit older, Hunter and Colleen planned on teaching both of them how to use their skills, as they would end up becoming the next generation of Road Rovers, after their parents retired from active field duty. Cassie said, " Good morning, mama, good morning daddy" to both of her parents, and Alexander repeated the process, and they both hugged Hunter and Colleen. Hunter smiled at his son, who was getting a little faster every day. "Hey kiddo, when you and your sister get big enough, mommy and I are gonna show you how to use your skills, so you can take the role of leading the next team of Road Rovers. Your sister's also gonna learn to use her skills, and that way, the Road Rovers will always be around to keep the world safe." After the usual morning greetings were done, Hunter, Colleen, and their twins headed downstairs for breakfast. It was Hunter's turn to cook today, and he had something very special planned for today's breakfast menu.

Blitz and Samantha were just coming out of the shower in their room, after a rather passionate night. Blitz hugged Sam, and the lovely black and gold-furred female German Shepherd returned Blitz's embrace, then said, "Blitz, I love you, and I promise to stay with you forever." Smiling, Blitz said, "I love you too, Samantha. Let's go see what's for breakfast." Hand in hand, the two Rovers walked out of their room, and down towards the kitchen. Halfway there, Samantha turned to look at her husband, and said, "Blitz, I smell waffles, toast, and maple syrup. I think Hunter's cooking breakfast today." She pulled her pocket computer out, and said, "Yep, I was right. Today is Hunter's turn to cook." Blitz grinned, and replied, "I love waffles, and from the smell that's coming from the kitchen, Hunter's waffles are probably going to be the best ever."

Meanwhile, Exile and Kasha arose to the beautiful sound of birds chirping to greet the new day, and the smell of Hunter's homemade apple-cinnamon waffles and freshly buttered toast. Taking a quick shower, Exile said, "Good morning, my beautiful snowflower." Kasha hugged Exile, then replied, "A good morning to you too, my handsome hero husky." After they kissed one another, they also headed into the kitchen. Shag joined them on the way, and they all headed for the mouth-watering scent of Hunter's waffles and toast.

Once everyone had made their way into the kitchen, they all said good morning to each other, then Hunter started putting waffles and toast on everyone's plates. Cutting a small piece out of one of her apple-cinnamon waffles, as she'd never had them before, Colleen said, "Huntie, these are delicious! Where'd you learn how to make such an incredible meal?" Hunter swallowed a bite of one of his waffles, then said, "I didn't. I just made it up myself." Smiling, Kasha replied, "Recipe or not, this is best breakfast I have ever eaten." The other Rovers agreed completely, and after they finished breakfast, they all helped to clean up the table, wash the dishes, then they went to do the rest of their morning routines. Once that was done, Hunter and Colleen took a walk on the beach with their twins, Blitz and Samantha went for a swim in the heated indoor pool, while Exile and Kasha watched some movies on the DVD player in their room. Today was shaping up to be a lovely day for the Road Rovers, but they had no idea of the evil that was brewing half a world away, nor that this evil would soon place them in a race against time to save one of their own from a fate worse than death.

**Chapter Two: Mordred Awakens**

Stepping out of the huge van that she and her team had driven out to the site of the catacomb which they planned on searching today, Dr. Catherine Young paused for a moment to get her bearings, then waited for her teammates to catch up. Their guide, a tall, dark-haired man named Dimitri Vasiliev, was the first to catch up. He was a former scout for the Russian Army, but had been injured during the war against the mujahadeen in Afghanistan back in the eighties, so he now made a living as a guide for scientific expeditions. Next was the team's forensic anthropologist, Dr. Ray Barton, who, along with Dr. Young, had flown in from the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. He had over thirty-five years of experience in his field, which was why Dr. Young, the team's leader, as well as the expert in what they had come in search of, the Darklight Emerald, had chosen him for the team, along with the fact that they were colleagues at work. Next to join them was their hired security guard, a tall U.S. Marine Corps soldier, Sergeant. Paul Stone. He had his M-16 assault rifle, as well as his Beretta 93-R pistol, ready to go, if it looked like the team was going to have trouble. Finally, their photographer caught up. He was a young, nineteen-year-old image analysis expert named Dan Jenkins. He was a bit annoying at times, but very good at his job. Dr. Young was a tall, strikingly beautiful woman of twenty-five. She stood at 5'9", had long, flowing black hair that went to the middle of her back, and deep, piercing emerald green eyes. She turned to Dr. Barton, and said, "Let's get this mission underway. I'd like to find the emerald as soon as possible, so that Dr. Barton and I can get it back to the Smithsonian and put it up for our new exhibit, "Legendary Gemstones". After consulting their field notes, the team headed for the catacomb entrance, and Vasiliev and Stone slid the door open. Using the flashlight mounted on his M-16, Sergeant Stone said, "All clear." The team then headed inside, and began their search. According to the information Dr. Young had deciphered from an old scroll, the emerald was hidden somewhere inside the main treasure room, as this catacomb was supposed to be a tomb for ancient lords of this area. Jenkins looked around, and shivered. He said, "I've got a bad feeling about this…" Shaking his head, Stone said, "You've always got a bad feeling about something. You had a bad feeling about breakfast this morning." The rest of the team chuckled, then went back to their work. After about three hours of searching, they decided to sit down and have lunch. They pulled sandwiches and bottles of soda out of the insulated backpack that Sergeant Stone had brought with him, and once they'd finished their lunch, they resumed their search. Finally, two hours later, Jenkins came back to where Dr. Young and Dr. Barton were, and said, "Dr Young, Dr. Barton…y-you've gotta check this out…I think Sergeant Stone and Mr. Vasiliev have found where the emerald is!" Excitedly, Dr. Young and Dr. Barton ran into the indicated chamber, and they found Sergeant Stone and their guide, Vasiliev, looking at the inscriptions on a large, ornately decorated casket. Dr. Young said, "Nice work, boys. Let's get this thing open, then see if the emerald's in there, or maybe a clue as to where it's at. Dr. Young, Vasiliev, and Sergeant Stone grabbed the lid, and pulled. Suddenly, there was a brilliant red light shining out of the casket, and then the lid creaked open on it's own. Alarmed, Sergeant Stone raised his M-16, and Vasiliev pulled out his Zastava M21 Assault Rifle, and loaded a clip. Just seconds later, a tall, cloaked figure stepped out of the casket, and said, in a deep, ominous tone, "Who has awakened Mordred, vampire lord of the Southern Provinces of Transylvania?" His eyes glowed red as he heard the clicking of assault rifles being readied, before Sergeant Stone and Vasiliev both sprayed a full clip of 5.56mm rounds into him. Smiling, Stone said, "Hah…get up so I can kill you again!!!" Mordred lunged out of nowhere, grabbed Sergeant Stone, and put his fist through his heart, killing him instantly. Vasiliev tried to reload another clip into his weapon, but Mordred was impossibly fast. He changed into his enormous bat form, lifted Vasiliev into the air, and dropped him. Vasiliev died on impact with the ground. Jenkins pulled out Stone's Beretta, and said, "Dr. Young, you and Dr. Barton get outta here! I'll keep fangface occupied!" Jenkins then opened up, the 9mm rounds hit Mordred dead on, but he shrugged them off. "Puny human…your weapons cannot harm me!!!", Mordred said, as he changed into a huge, black wolf, and ripped out Jenkins' throat. Dr. Barton and Dr. Young were almost to the exit, when Dr. Barton was suddenly yanked off his feet, and torn in half. Mordred appeared in front of Dr. Young, and stared directly at her. He said, "You will help me find the Darklight Emerald, so that I may gain immortality, and the ability to venture out even in sunlight." Dr. Young's green eyes glassed over, and she said, in a flat, emotionless voice, "Yes, master…I will aid you. The emerald is in the main treasure vault. This way." She soon led Mordred into the vault, and he pulled out the emerald. Smiling, Mordred said, "Well done, my pet. Come over here." Dr. Young obeyed, and Mordred bit her at the junction of her neck and shoulder. Minutes later, her eyes went from green to red, and her skin became a sickly pale gray. She, like Mordred, was now a vampire. Mordred then turned to his new servant, and said, "Come, let us be off to Castle Vorlock." Within seconds, the two transformed into their bat forms, and flew off into the night. Mordred now needed to find someone suitable to use for the Soul Bonding ritual with the emerald, and it had to be a female that was not yet a vampire. Now, he just needed to find the right female for the ritual.

**Chapter Three: The Rovers' New Mission**

Hunter and the other Rovers were sitting in the recreation room at HQ, having lunch. Hunter and Colleen were having a plate of spaghetti and meatballs. As they both got one end of a especially long strand of spaghetti in their mouths, they each chewed it. until they wound up kissing. Hunter and Colleen smiled at each other, and then they kissed again, just very lightly, as they were in the middle of the rec room. They each had a tall, ice-filled glass of Barq's Root Beer in front of them. Their twins were each having a bowl of Spaghetti-O's, and a glass of milk. Blitz and Samantha were sharing an extra-large Pepperoni and Sausage pizza. Blitz had a peppermint milkshake, and Samantha had a Coke Classic, Exile and Kasha were having double cheeseburgers with fries, and they both had orange soda. Shag was having a triple-layered grilled-cheese sandwich, with a bag of Cape Cod Potato Chips, and a two-liter bottle of Pepsi. Once they finished lunch, Hunter and Colleen went for a swim at the beach, Samantha and Blitz went to their room and enjoyed some time alone, Exile and Kasha went to watch a movie, and Shag went to take a nap. The Master was in his office, having some macaroni and cheese and kielbasa, with some grape soda, and Professor Hubert was having a mixed plate of meat and cheese ravioli, with a small salad with croutons and ranch dressing, and a glass of lemon ice tea. Muzzle had already had some steak for lunch, and he was now resting against the wall of The Master's office, watching him as he worked on his laptop, examining the data feeds from the numerous Road Rover recon satellites, and the numerous hidden cameras and other recon devices, not to mention direct feeds from the U.S. Air Force's SR-71 Blackbird recon jets. He was sifting through the images and reports from Europe and Asia, when one particular report from the Russian Military caught his eye. He read it over twice, then said, "Oh no…this is bad. I need to get the Rovers on this right away. Pressing the intercom built into his desk, he said, "Rovers, report to the briefing room, immediately. Your services are needed again." Hunter swam back to the shore, dried off, and pulled his armor on, and Colleen was quick to join him. After a quick shower, Samantha and Blitz made a quick stop in their room to dry off and don their armor, Shag hurried out of the living room, where he'd been curled up, having a nice nap, and Exile and Kasha turned off the movie they'd been watching, _Balto_, and made their way into the mission control center. Once the team had assembled, The Master cleared his throat, then said, "Rovers, we have a serious situation on our hands. A detachment of Russian military officers located the dead bodies of four members of an archaeological team in Transylvania. They were searching for an artifact known as the Darklight Emerald, which, according to local lore, has the power to grant vampires the ability to move around, even in daylight, as well as making them nearly invincible. The only member that wasn't found dead was their leader, Dr. Catherine Young, of the Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C. It is strongly believed that her team encountered a vampire that was buried there, while searching for the emerald. A vampire lord, named Mordred. Your mission, Rovers, is to find and rescue Dr. Young, retrieve the emerald, and destroy Mordred. Good luck, Rovers." Colleen turned to Hunter, and said, "Huntie, I really hate dealing with supernatural monsters, especially after that incident with the werewolves in London." Hunter said, "Colleen, I'll protect you, no matter what." Turning to the rest of the team, he said, **"LET'S HIT THE ROAD, ROVERS!!!"**. Within five minutes, the Rovers made their way down to the vehicle hangar, boarded the Stealth Rover, suited up, and Hunter fed fuel into the 'burners, and took off.

**Meanwhile, at Mordred's Castle:**

Dr. Young walked into her master's chambers, carrying the ancient scroll she'd been ordered to retrieve from the library. She said, "Master, I have brought the scroll of your late master, Vorlock. What is your command?" Mordred smiled, and said, "Stay here, my pet. I am about to raise an army of loyal soldiers, so that no one will be able to stop my plan of achieving immortality." He opened the scroll, and began reading the incantation. "Tayva…ontorum…yumara…NAVTARA!!!" Within seconds, a bright flash of greenish-yellow light burst forth from the castle, and washed over the small, nearby town of Brevsky, along with the nearby army base. Every man, woman, and child engulfed in the blast was transformed into a zombie, and they headed for Mordred's castle, awaiting their master's orders.

**Back with the Rovers:**

Hunter had the Stealth Rover at low altitude, under cloak, when finally, the team made it to a clearing big enough to set the fighter down. He lowered the landing gear, kicked in the VTOL (Vertical TakeOff and Landing) thrusters, and touched down softly. Climbing out, Hunter passed a laser rifle out to everyone, and they soon headed toward the massive castle in the distance. They hadn't gone too far, however, before a huge swarm of zombies came at them from everywhere. The Rovers opened fire en masse, and took out several zombies. However, no matter how many they burned to the ground, more kept coming. Soon, Samantha shouted, over the whine of laser rifle fire, **"HUNTER, WE'RE NOT MAKING ANY DENT IN THESE GUYS! NO MATTER HOW MANY WE TAKE DOWN, THEY JUST KEEP COMING, AND MY RIFLE'S ALMOST OUT OF POWER!"** Hunter backpedaled, caved in the skull of a charging zombie with his rifle, then replied, **"YOU'RE RIGHT, SAM!!! ROVERS, THERE'S TOO MANY OF THESE THINGS!!! EVERYONE, FALL BACK TO THE STEALTH ROVER, ON THE DOUBLE!!!"**

Mordred spotted the Rovers as they fought with his zombies, and saw them pull back. In the midst of the brawl, he spotted a tall, slim, athletic young female among the Rovers. It was Colleen. Mordred turned to Dr. Young, and said, "Stay here and guard the castle, my pet. I am going to bring back the lovely lady that I plan to use for the soul-bonding ritual." Dr. Young, who had now changed into an all-black dress, with a golden bat-shaped necklace, said, "Yes, master. I live to serve you." Mordred turned into his bat form, and flew off into the night.

The Rovers had nearly reached the Stealth Rover, and Hunter fired over his shoulder once more, taking out a zombie that was attempting to shoot Colleen with an MP-5 submachine gun, when suddenly, a bolt of lightning struck the ground, knocking the Rovers off their feet. Hunter got up, dusted himself off, and then moved towards Colleen, intending to help her up. Before he could get to her, however, Mordred swooped down, transformed into his humanoid form, and looked Colleen over. "My, aren't you a pretty one?", he said, studying her face. She growled, and said, "I'm already married, you bloodsucking blighter. Now back off, before me husband Huntie puts a laser rifle bolt through you." Mordred laughed, and said, "I think not. You're coming with me, as I have plans for you. Soon, you will help me achieve ultimate power, and the world will be mine!" Hunter fired at Mordred, but he effortlessly dodged them, and said,. "I'm growing bored with you, pathetic mutt!" With that, he grabbed hold of Colleen, knocked her out, and flew off. Hunter screamed into the night,** "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!! GET BACK HERE, YOU LOUSY BLOODSUCKER!!! COLLEEN IS MY WIFE, NOT YOUR SLAVE!!!" **Mordred replied back, "She is not yet, but she soon will be. The next time you see her, she **WILL** be mine, and I shall have her destroy you and the others. Goodbye, mutt!" Hunter fired off his laser rifle until the power indicator read empty, and then he slammed his fist against a nearby tree. Full of grief, and fearing for Colleen's safety, the Rovers climbed into the Stealth Rover, and headed back to headquarters to fill The Master in on what had happened.

**Chapter Four: The Plan To Save Colleen**

Once Hunter landed the Stealth Rover, he and the others walked into the Briefing room, and The Master knew something had happened to Colleen, since she wasn't with them, and he could also see that Hunter had been crying, since the fur around his eyes was wet. Hunter informed him of what had gone on, and The Master said, "This is very bad, indeed. However, I think Professor Hubert can help us with this problem." At that moment, Hubert wheeled out a large cart, full of suits of sleek, polished silver, red, and blue armor, which were far more advanced than their own. Hunter walked up to one of the suits, and asked "Professor, these look like the MJOLNIR armor from Halo 2, the armor worn by the Master Chief." Smiling, Hubert said, "That's the idea, Hunter. It's called the Sirius Mk. 1A, and I designed it just like the armor in the game, after I saw you, Exile, and Blitz playing it so often, I was inspired to try and create a real-life version of it. It's got every feature that the MJOLNIR armor has, namely an insulated inner layer, temperature regulators, built-in shock absorbers, biosensors, which feed data onto your helmet's HUD (Heads-Up Display) about anyone you look at. Its also got air circulation systems, a helmet-mounted flashlight, retractable helmet visor, a visor-mounted HUD, which displays the wearer's health condition. Blue bars mean good health, yellow means fair health, and red means almost dead. It's also got a motion tracker, compass, a built-in communicator, and, best of all, the armor is equipped with rapidly recharging energy shields. It also features some of my own touches. I added wrist-mounted grappling lines, hover thrusters in the boots, and the rear section of the upper body armor here opens up for storage. You can store spare ammo clips, any weapon up to and including an XM-29 Assault Rifle, a medical kit, food, water, and numerous other supplies." Hunter said, "TOO COOL!!!" Exile and Kasha both said, "Mother Russia…" Blitz and Samantha both smiled at each other, and then they gave Professor Hubert a thumbs-up. Shag pulled a camera out of his fur, and took a photo of the new armor. Once the Rovers had suited up in their new armor, they each activated the armor's shields, and ran the armor through its paces on the training range. That done, they walked back into the briefing room, and the team gathered around the mission planning table, as Hunter began to lay out their rescue plan. Hunter said, "Listen up, Rovers. Colleen's in serious danger, so we've gotta move fast on this one. First, we're going to go see Confuse-Us, and learn how to take out Mordred. After that, we're gonna go back there, mow down his zombies like weeds, and fight our way to the castle. We'll work in three-Rover teams. Blitz and Samantha, you're with me. Exile, you're with Kasha and Shag. Once we've taken out all the zombies, we'll blow open the door, take down any other zombies inside, and then I'll destroy Mordred, and we'll get Colleen and Dr. Young out of there. Does everybody understand the plan?"

Blitz replied, "Ja, I'm ready to wipe the floor with those girly boy zombies!"

Exile answered, "I am ready to go, Comrade Hunter. Just give us order!"

Samantha said, "Ready to go, Hunter. Mordred's gonna pay big time if he does anything to Colleen."

Kasha said, "Da, I am ready also. Comrade Colleen needs helpski, and we are only ones who can save her!"

Shag replied, "Rah, ret's ro!"

Hunter smiled at his teammates, then said, "Muzzle, it's too dangerous to bring you along with us, so you're gonna have to stay and hold down the fort, okay buddy?" Muzzle whimpered, and Hunter walked over and rubbed his head. Alexander and Cassie walked in, and Cassie said, "Daddy, be careful. Come back safe with Mommy." Hunter pulled off his helmet, knelt down to look his daughter in the eyes, and said, "Don't worry, honey. I'll bring mommy back, safe and sound. I promise. You be good for The Master and Professor Hubert. Same goes for you, Alexander." Alexander and Cassie both hugged their father, and Alexander then said, "Bye, daddy. Good luck." Hunter smiled at his son and daughter, hugged both of them again, then replaced his helmet. He stood up, turned to the rest of the team, and said, **"LET'S HIT THE ROAD, ROVERS!!!"**

Before they went to the vehicle hangar, they stopped at the armory, and each of them checked out eight grenades, an XM-29 7.62mm assault rifle, with attached M-203 Mk.II grenade launcher, along with twenty clips of ammo for each Rover, and twenty grenade rounds for their rifles, consisting of five fragmentation grenades, five incendiary grenades, five concussion grenades, and five heat-seeking high-explosive anti-personnel grenades. Exile also grabbed some C-4 plastic explosive, some detonation wire, and a remote detonator. Lastly, each of them grabbed a Ka-Bar fighting knife, which had a 7-inch long carbon steel blade. Fully equipped, the team headed for the Stealth Rover. Hunter gunned the 'burners, after the team had strapped themselves in, and with that, they were off, determined to save Colleen before it was too late.

**Chapter Five: Off To See Confuse-Us**

After a while behind the control stick, Hunter had traded off with Samantha on flying the Stealth Rover, since it'd been about three hours since they left HQ, and they'd all decided to rotate in shifts of piloting and sleeping. While they were in flight, Hunter thought of what he could do for Colleen after they rescued her, Exile and Kasha ran systems checks on their armor, and polished their rifles, Blitz took up the co-pilot position alongside Samantha, and Shag read one of the courage-building books Hunter had gotten him for Christmas. After another two hours of flight, Samantha set the Stealth Rover down, and the team got out. Together, they made their way up the mountain to see Confuse-Us. Once they got there, Hunter said, "Oh great wise dog…we come seeking your wisdom and knowledge on how to destroy a vampire lord, and save the one you love from his hypnotic trance." Confuse-Us woke up, and said, "You know what comes first, Hunter my boy." Hunter said, "Shag, pass 'em on up. Shag handed Hunter the box of cheesy cocktail weenies, and Confuse-Us scarfed them down. He smiled, and then he pulled out his book. "Hmmm…let me see here…Ah-ha! Vampire Lord! In order to defeat the vampire lord, you must first break his control over your lover…say…where is Colleen, anyway?" Hunter shook his head, and said, "The vampire got her. That's why we came to see you, wise one." Confuse-Us nodded, then said, "As I was saying, you need to break his control over her, and to do so, you need to establish a psychic bond with her, using the purity of the power of your love for her to connect your mind to hers. Try it. Just think of her, picture being with her, and you'll be able to establish the link, and be able to talk to her. Once you learn this, you'll be able to execute the technique known as the Storm of Passion, which will allow you two to destroy the vampire using the power of your pure love for one another. Hunter sat down, cleared his mind, then thought of Colleen being in his arms, just holding each other close. Soon, he was able to hear her thoughts. He sent her his first thought. He said, _'Colleen, it's Hunter. Can you hear me?'_ Colleen, meanwhile, was just coming to at Mordred's castle, when she heard a voice in her head. She said,_ 'Huntie? How are you doing this? Where are you?'_ Hunter replied back,_ 'I'm with the team at Confuse-Us's home. We're on our way to save you, sweetheart, so hang in there. We'll be together again soon. I love you.' _Smiling, Colleen replied, _'Huntie, I love you too. Please hurry…Mordred's gonna do that 'Soul Bonding' Ritual at sunrise, and he's chosen me to be the one to rule at his side. Huntie…I only want to be with you, I-I want to see the twins again, to hold you close, please come and get me out of here.'_ Hunter replied, _'Don't worry, Colleen. I'm on my way. I'll see you soon.'_ Hunter slowly broke the link, and then he turned to Confuse-Us, who smiled. He then said, "Well done, Hunter! Well done indeed! Now that you can link your mind to Colleen's, you two will now be able to do the Storm of Passion. I think it's best that you leave now, if you want to save her in time…by the way, The Master called, and asked me to give you this, for taking out those zombies. It'll work great alongside that assault rifle of yours." Hunter opened the case, and found a massive, gleaming, gold-plated Desert Eagle .50AE, along with twenty clips of 12.7mm ammo. Each round had been dipped in holy water, and had a cross carved in it. Confuse-Us said, "That, Hunter, is the 'Holy Eagle'. Guaranteed to kill zombies or vampires with one clean shot. Now, you'd best be headin' off. You've got a wife to save, after all." Hunter and the others thanked Confuse-Us, and then they double-timed it back to the Stealth Rover, and took off, headed for Mordred's Castle. Hunter had a serious dose of payback that he intended to give that fang-faced scumbag, and nothing on earth was going to stop him.

**Meanwhile, at Mordred's Castle:**

Colleen was smiling as she thought of what had just happened. Hunter had learned to speak to her using only his thoughts, and he had also given her the knowledge over their psychic link. She was overjoyed that he was on his way, but she hoped he'd be in time. Suddenly, the door opened, and a zombie walked in. She got ready to attack it, but it simply raised a bowl of food, obviously soup. She said, "Sorry, ugly. My mum told me not to accept food from strangers, and I don't know anyone stranger than you." With that, she sprang into the air, triple-flipped, landed behind the zombie, and yelled out, **"HIYA!!! ROSA PARKS!!!" **The force of her kick sent the zombie flying clean across the room, and out through the massive stained glass window. She was about to turn around and leave, when she saw Mordred enter. He saw the shattered window, and said, "Well…I see that you're quite the little fireball, aren't you? You will be perfect to rule at my side." Angered, Colleen said, "You keep your filthy hands off of me, you bloodsucking scum! Huntie is the only one I'll ever love, and when he and the others get here, you're going back to your coffin, as dust!" Mordred chuckled, then said, "Not likely. He'll be too late to save you, and even if he does come, I'll have you destroy him." Colleen growled in sheer rage, then yelled out, **"I WILL NEVER, EVER HARM HUNTIE!!! HE'S THE ONE I LOVE WITH ALL MY HEART, AND I'M GETTING OUTTA HERE, RIGHT NOW!!!"** Colleen spun and ran, grabbing her parachute pack on the way, since Mordred hadn't thought to take it away from her. She was just about to jump, when Mordred grabbed her, tore off her pack, and threw it out the window. He spun her around, and said in a low, dangerous voice, "You are not going anywhere, Collie." Colleen growled and yanked her hand free, and said, "My name is Colleen, you Dracula wannabe. Now, outta my way, before I knock your fangs so far down your throat, you'll need to use a fishing rod to get 'em back out again!" Mordred laughed, and said, "I think not. You are no match for my power." Colleen said, "You asked for it!!! **HIYA!!! GEORGE WASHINGTON!!! ABRAHAM LINCOLN!!! JOHN ADAMS!!!"** Mordred dodged her attacks, then caught her fist and pinned her to the wall. He stared into her eyes, and said, "You are mine, now. You will forget all about the mutt and the others. From this point forward, you live to serve only me." Colleen grabbed the sides of her head, and screamed, **"No, NO, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"** She collapsed, her strength totally spent. She looked up at Mordred, with her blue eyed glazed over. She said, in a flat, emotionless voice, with none of the sweetness and warmth that Hunter loved so much, "Yes, master…I live to serve you. What is your command?" Smiling, Mordred said, "Go and sleep in your room until it is time for the ritual. Once that's done, we will destroy those pesky mongrels once and for all, and rule the world." Colleen said, "As you command, master Mordred." She turned and left, walking into her assigned room, which had her name on a brass plate on the door. Once inside, however, her eyes teared up, as she thought of all the precious times she'd shared with Hunter. All the times they'd saved each other's lives, all the fun they'd had while dating, their wedding and honeymoon, their first Christmas as a married couple, and their twins. She burst into tears, and as she thought of Hunter, she broke free of Mordred's control long enough to send Hunter a last thought. She said, _'I'm so sorry, Huntie. I wasn't strong enough to hold out against him…PLEASE HELP ME!!!' _With that, she fell asleep, hoping that Hunter, her one true love, would be there to save her soon.

**Chapter Six: Nothin's Gonna Stand In Our Way **

****

Hunter brought the Stealth Rover down, the team geared up, and then Hunter said, "Okay team. Colleen's in there, and we're gonna get her back. Let's move out, Rovers!" With that, Blitz and Samantha formed up behind Hunter, while Kasha and Shag, who was finally able to shoot straight, and had stopped being a coward, formed up next to Exile.

The Rovers began their trek towards the castle, their helmet-mounted flashlights illuminating the path ahead of them. They swept their guns left and right, keeping an eye out for any zombies. Kasha had killed one earlier with a tri-burst from her rifle, and the rounds had sent it flying off a cliff. Suddenly, the motion tracker built into the Heads-Up Display of Hunter's helmet indicated movement to Blitz's left, and he yelled out over his communicator, **"BLITZ, GET DOWN!!!"** Blitz ducked, just in time to avoid the attack of a zombie, which was swinging a massive tree branch. Hunter drew a bead on the zombie, and pulled the trigger of his Desert Eagle, the powerful 12.7mm round hit the zombie dead center in the forehead, blowing it in half, and Blitz said, "Danke, Hunter. You saved my life!" Hunter smiled, and said, "No problem, Blitz, that's what friends are for. What does Danke mean, though?" Blitz replied, "It means 'thank you' in German." Hunter nodded, and said, "Ah, I get it." Blitz then saw a glint of metal in the moonlight, and it then landed near Hunter, who was busy reloading his pistol. Blitz yelled out, **"HUNTER, IT'S A GRENADE!!!"** Hunter jumped to the right, and Blitz kicked the grenade back the way it had come. It landed near the zombie that had thrown it, and Blitz said, "Verziehung, aber sie haben Ihre granate verghessen." Just seconds later, the grenade blew up, shredding at least fifteen zombies. Hunter walked over, and said, "Thanks, Blitz. I guess that makes us even. What'd you tell that zombie anyway?" Blitz said, "Excuse me, but you forgot your grenade." Hunter and the others laughed at the joke, and then they went back to mopping up the zombies. Samantha blew ten of them to pieces with one of her incendiary grenades from her XM-29's launcher, then emptied her clip of 7.62mm rounds into another five more, caving the last one's skull in with the buttstock, then she kicked the dead bodies off the cliff. Exile and Kasha had retracted their helmet visors, and were alternating between freezing and barbecuing zombies. Blitz and Hunter were fighting back-to-back, each of them mowing through zombies like weeds. Shag had managed to take down at least twelve. Finally, Hunter shot the last zombie in the area dead with a Desert Eagle round to the chest, and he then kicked it in the head, and Blitz threw it off the cliff. Just as they neared the castle door, a zombie that had been in hiding charged out, a long, sharp metal spear in his hand. It was planning on impaling Kasha with it, but Hunter saw it coming, and yelled out, **"KASHA, BEHIND YOU!!!" **Hunter spun around with incredible speed, and fired a tri-burst, hitting the zombie in the head, chest, and stomach. The impact of the rounds, as well as the ferocious punch of the lethal armor-piercing bullets, blew the zombie apart. Hunter ejected the now-empty clip, loaded a new one, then clicked the safety to ON, holstered his pistol, and said, "That'll teach you not to mess with my friends, you undead freak!" Kasha looked on, and said, "Comrade Hunter, that was amazing shooting…how did you learn to shoot like that?" Hunter smiled, and said, "Easy, Kasha. Lots of practice at the shooting range at HQ, and I play Halo a lot too, either in multiplayer against the guys here, or in the campaign mode." Hunter then began to prepare himself for destroying the door, so that they could go in and save Colleen."

**Meanwhile, in Colleen's room:**

_Colleen's dream sequence:_

_Colleen was laying down comfortably, wearing a beautiful red and white sundress, as she and Hunter set up for a picnic. They were in a grassy field, out in Wyoming, with flowers all around them. Hunter's mother was nearby, watching her son and her new daughter-in-law enjoy themselves, while the twins, Alexander and Cassie, played catch nearby. Hunter spread out the red, white, and blue-checkered blanket, pulled a basket and a cooler out of the Street Rover, and sat down next to Colleen. He put an arm around her shoulders, and said, "Colleen, you are so incredibly beautiful. I love you so much, and I can't tell you with mere words how much you mean to me." Colleen smiled, and said, "Huntie, I love you too, and I can't bear to be apart from you. You've become my reason for living, and I'd surely die if I lost you." Hunter leaned in to kiss her, and she leaned closer to him. Just as their lips were about to meet…_

**end dream sequence**

Mordred walked in, and said, "You will come with me now. Those mongrels are outside, and so we must hurry and perform the ritual." Colleen replied, "Yes, master." She followed him out, but her eyes were tearing up again. She said, in her mind, _"Huntie, hurry…I don't have much time until he performs the ritual."_

Hunter heard Colleen's plea for help, and he said, "Exile, pass me one of the C-4 charges. We're gonna blow this door!" Minutes later, Hunter had the C-4 block wired, and he yelled, **"FALL BACK!!!" **Once everyone had taken cover, he yelled, **"FIRE IN THE HOLE!!!"**, and blew the door apart. They quickly made their way to the huge hole in the wall, and Hunter switched his helmet's sensors to thermal vision, then to night vision, then to X-Ray vision, then finally, back to normal. He said, "It's clear, team. Colleen's in that room down at the other end of the hall, so let's go! The Rovers charged down the hall, killing any zombie that got in their way. Soon, they reached the door to the room where Colleen was, and Hunter smashed his fist into the door, busting it in one solid hit. Blitz and Samantha opened up with a full-auto burst from their assault rifles, shredding the five zombies in the room.

Hunter saw that Mordred was about to bite Colleen, so he yelled out, **"LET MY WIFE GO, YOU LOUSY BLOODSUCKING FREAK! SHE'S MY SOULMATE, AND I WON'T LET YOU HAVE HER!!!" **Mordred said, "You're too late, mutt!!! In a few seconds, the Collie will be mine forever, and I'll have her kill you and the others, before she joins me in ruling the world." Hunter screamed, **"NEVER!!! EXILE, KASHA, SHINE SOME LIGHT ON THIS DIRTBAG!!!"**

_The fortunate ones_

_To be fast and free and young_

_I wanna count myself among_

_The fortunate ones_

Exile and Kasha both said, "With pleasure, Comrade Hunter!" Exile and Kasha then fired their heat vision at the ceiling, blowing a huge, gaping hole. Sunlight shone down upon Mordred, and he screamed, **"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!" **Hunter then charged Mordred at full speed, and slammed his armored left boot into Mordred's gut with every bit of strength he had, which send Mordred flying. He still remained in the sunlight, as Exile and Kasha had blown a rather large hole in the roof.

_We won't be denied_

_We know that time is on our side_

_We've got the passion, and the pride_

_We won't be denied!_

_This generation_

_With fire in our eyes_

_Strong are the ties that bind us_

_We don't need no alibis!_

_Nothin's gonna stand in our way_

_Nothin's gonna stand in our way_

_Nothin's gonna stand in our way_

_Not tonight!_

Hunter ran forward, and caught Colleen as she collapsed, her mind finally free of Mordred's control. He grabbed her wedding ring, her anniversary ring, and her locket, and put them back on her, after which he picked her up bridal style, and then pressed the button to retract his helmet's visor. Colleen looked up, and, when she saw who was holding her, she shouted in pure joy, **"HUNTIE!!!" **Mordred had gotten out of the way of the sun, and he said, "You will pay for that, mutt! I shall take your beloved Collie, and make sure you suffer at her hands before she destroys you!" Hunter shouted, **"THAT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN, MORDRED!!! NOTHING CAN EVER DEFEAT THE PURE POWER OF MY LOVE FOR COLLEEN!" **Colleen then said, **"THAT'S RIGHT, FANG-FACE! HUNTIE IS THE ONLY ONE I'LL EVER LOVE, AND NOW, IT'S TIME TO SHOW YOU THAT THE PURE POWER OF LOVE CAN DESTROY EVEN THE DARKEST OF EVIL!!!"**

_We want it all_

_And tonight we got the call_

_We're runnin' high, but we won't fall_

_We want it all!_

_We won't be denied_

_Like a breaker at high tide_

_We're gonna take this sweet joy ride_

_We won't be denied!_

_New expectations_

_Moments in the sun_

_We've waited all our lives_

_And now we know, our time has come!_

_Nothin's gonna stand in our way,_

_Nothin's gonna stand in our way,_

_Nothin's gonna stand in our way,_

_Not tonight!_

_Nothin's gonna stand in our way!_

_This generation_

_With fire in our eyes_

_Strong are the ties that bind us_

_We don't need no alibis!_

_Nothin's gonna stand in our way_

_Nothin's gonna stand in our way_

_Nothin's gonna stand in our way…_

_Not tonight!_

Hunter and Colleen then joined their hands together, and a brilliant pink aura surrounded them. Looking on in amazement, Samantha said, "Oh wow…Confuse-Us was right…this is incredible!" Mordred took flight, and swooped in, attending to grab Colleen and kill Hunter in the process, but the powerful pink aura surrounding the two lovers was so strong, it sent him flying to land in a heap across the room. Shocked, weakened, and angry, he said, "H-How is this p-possible? I am Mordred, vampire lord of Transylvania!"

Hunter replied, "That's easy, fangface. My love for Colleen is pure to the core, and I love her with every fiber of my heart, my soul, and my spirit." Colleen added, "Same here. Huntie is the only one that I love…that I will EVER love, and him and I will be together, now and forever. Hunter and Colleen then said at the same time, **"NOW, MORDRED, IT'S TIME TO DIE!!! SPIRITS OF PASSION, WINDS OF LOVE, CARRY US HOME WITH THE LIGHT FROM ABOVE!!! STORM OF PASSION!!!"** With that, the bright pink aura around Hunter and Colleen shot outward, and speared into Mordred. He screamed, **"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooooo…………AAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"**, before fading away into dust on the wind. Hunter, overjoyed to finally have his wife back safely in his arms, said, "Colleen, you're safe now, and I will never let you fall into danger like this again." He then kissed her passionately, after removing his helmet. Colleen said, "Huntie…I'm so glad to finally be with you again. You, and the others, you all risked your lives to save me, and I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart." Hunter looked down into her beautiful blue eyes, so full of love and warmth, and said, "Colleen, as I promised you when we married, I'll stop at nothing to keep you safe, and I'll love you for all eternity." Colleen looked up into Hunter's deep, loving brown eyes, and said, "Oh, Huntie…I love you too…" Tears fell from her eyes as she and Hunter kissed again. Exile came over, carrying Dr. Young in his arms, while Kasha applied an ice pack to the woman's head, since she was running a slight fever. "Comrade Hunter, Comrade Colleen, we should be getting homeski. We need to drop the doctor at her home, then get back to HQ." Hunter smiled, and said, "You're right, Exile. Rovers, let's take it on home!" With that, the team filed out, got aboard the Stealth Rover, and flew off.

**Chapter Seven: Hunter and Colleen-Eternal Soulmates**

After the Rovers dropped off Dr. Young at her home in Washington, D.C., and she had thanked the Rovers for rescuing her, they headed off for home. At Road Rover HQ, Professor Hubert was monitoring the skies, and making sure the twins didn't mess with any of the equipment. "Uncle Hubert", Cassie asked, "When will mommy and daddy be back? I really miss mommy." Hubert smiled, and said, "Don't worry your pretty little head, Cassie. Your daddy's a strong fighter, and his love for your mommy is just as strong. They'll be back, just you wait. Moments later, Hunter's voice came in loud and clear over the radio. _"Mission Control, this is the Stealth Rover, requesting clearance to land, over."_ Alexander and Cassie both jumped up and down in joy, and Cassie exclaimed, "It's daddy!!! He's back, just like he said he would be!!!" Hubert said back over the intercom, "Hunter, you're cleared to land in the main hangar bay. Is Colleen with you?" Minutes later, Hunter's voice came back, "_Yes, she's right here beside me in the co-pilot seat. We'll see you when we get in."_ Hubert turned on the lights in the landing bay, and then he opened the hangar doors. Moments later, the Stealth Rover glided in gracefully, Hunter punched the VTOL thrusters, de-activated the weapons, shut down the engines, and finally, the team came out, two at a time. First was Shag, then Exile and Kasha, then Blitz and Samantha, and finally, Hunter, who was carrying Colleen in his arms. Alexander and Cassie ran over to their parents, and Cassie said, "Mommy, you're okay!!!" Hunter let Colleen down, and she pulled her two precious twins close. She said, "Oh my little darlings…I missed you so much!" Alexander said, "Mommy, I'm so happy you're okay. Did daddy get rid of the vampire?" Colleen nodded, and said, "Yes, he's gone, and he'll never be able to hurt anyone ever again." Hubert said, "Hunter, Colleen looks like she's fine. I'm going to clear you two to go with the rest of the team to debriefing, but afterwards, I'd like the two of you to eat something." Hunter smiled, and said, "Sure thing. Thanks, Professor." With that, the team headed upstairs into the briefing room. The Master saw them come in, and Hunter gave his report on the mission. After that, The Master said, "Well done, Rovers. You not only saved both Colleen and Dr. Young, but you also saved the world from being turned into vampires. You're good dogs, Rovers. Good, good dogs." Hunter turned to the team, and said, **"TO THE POWER OF THE PACK!!!"** The rest of the team, even Alexander and Cassie, responded with a loud **"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOO!!!"**

Later that night, after the twins had gone to bed, Hunter and Colleen were in their bed, sitting and talking. Hunter said, "Hang on, Colleen. I've got a surprise for you." Colleen said, "Huntie, falling in love with you was truly the best thing that's ever happened to me. Smiling, Hunter replied, "Same here, Colleen. I'll be right back." He left, and Colleen wondered what he was up to. Soon, she smelled the sweet aroma of brown sugar, cinnamon, and maple syrup. Her mouth started to water. Soon, Hunter came walking back into the room, with a tray in his hands. On the tray were two plates stacked high with delicious-looking pancakes, which were covered in maple syrup, and a cup of Earl Grey Tea for Colleen, and a tall, cold glass of milk for Hunter. She even noticed that he had put a red rose on the tray next to her plate. He sat down next to her, and pulled out the mini-table, so they could both eat their pancakes. Colleen said, "Huntie, y-you didn't have to do all this…" He smiled, and said, "I wanted to, Colleen. I love you, and I want this night to be all about you, sweetheart. Colleen smiled, and said, "Thank you so much, Huntie!" She cut a small piece of her pancake, and slid it into her mouth. It literally filled her mouth with the sweet taste of maple syrup, brown sugar, and cinnamon. She finished her stack of 4 pancakes, and said, "Huntie, that was abso-'bloomin-lutely delicious! Where'd you learn to cook like that?" Hunter smiled, and said, "I didn't. I just made it up as I went along." Colleen kissed him, and said, "Huntie, this night has been so romantic already. Thank you so much." Hunter took their plates, cups, and silverwear out to the kitchen, then came back in. He said, "Colleen, I'm just getting warmed up. He crossed the room, and turned on his stereo. Flipping on the CD player, he started the song "Glory of Love", by Peter Cetera. He began serenading his lovely wife.

_Tonight it's very clear…_

_As we're both lyin' here…_

_There's so many things_

_I wanna say…_

_I will always love you…_

_I will never leave you alone…_

_Sometimes I just forget…_

_Say things I might regret…_

_It breaks my heart to see you cryin'_

_I don't wanna lose you…_

_I could never make it alone…_

_I am the man who will fight for your honor…_

_I'll be the hero you're dreamin' of_

_We'll live forever…_

_Knowing together that we_

_Did it all for the glory of love._

_You keep me standing tall…_

_You help me through it all…_

_I'm always strong when you're beside me…_

_I have always needed you…_

_I could never make it alone…_

_I am the man who will fight for your honor…_

_I'll be the hero you've been dreaming of…_

_We'll live forever…_

_Knowing together that we_

_Did it all for the glory of love…_

_Just like a knight in shining armor…_

_From a long time ago…_

_Just in time I will save the day…_

_Take you to my castle far away!_

_I am the man who will fight for your honor…_

_I'll be the hero that you're dreaming of…_

_We're gonna live forever…_

_Knowing together that we_

_Did it all for the glory of love._

_We'll live forever…_

_Knowing together that we_

_Did it all for the glory of love._

_We did it all for love_

_We did it all for love_

_We did it all for love._

When the song finished, Hunter turned off his stereo, and turned around. The moon was out in full, and it was a full blue moon, surrounded by stars. The light perfectly illuminated Colleen's beautiful figure, and Hunter crossed the room, and climbed into bed with her. She had tears in her eyes, and she said, "Oh…Huntie…that was so beautiful. I didn't know you could sing like that." Hunter smiled, and said, "Colleen, let's have that be our song from now on, since it's the perfect symbol of the love that I will always have for you." Colleen kissed him deeply, then replied, "Huntie…I will always love you too." With that, the two lovers sank down onto their bed, and cuddled very closely for about an hour. After that, the two climbed out of bed, went in and took a shower, removed the bed sheets, put fresh ones on, after they put the other ones into the laundry chute, then they kissed each other goodnight one more time, before finally falling asleep. Hunter had his arms folded gently around Colleen's slim waist, and she had her arms around Hunter's shoulders. As they both drifted off to a peaceful slumber, they both knew that they would be soulmates for all eternity.

**The End.**


End file.
